Simply Kind Tuesdays

I was thinking about kindness songs. Can you think of any apart from the one I thought of?



Click here to view more from Simply Kind Tuesdays week 35.

It Could Have Been Our Town

Lots similar between our town and bits of video of Shake This Town by Jayne Denham. Click to site and play here. It is my grafted town, it would take many years before I fit in I think.

Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

Nothing to report.

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

A week ago I got a Freedom catalogue for ideas about paint. I found one from 2007 in my magazine pile that I could finally relate to (2 years behind the times lol). The new one though doesn't have the paint colours in it which is disappointing. DH was nice enough to look at the painted walls in the store.

I bought an Australian Country Collections magazine recently. It bring up issues about keeping books, how much stuff to keep, lots of things about being old-fashioned in a world that is changing away from keeping home libraries etc. I think it is the one pictured, but when they change the picture, I'm sorry I can't tell which month it is from.

I bought Oil of Cloves from epharmacy. I think Shannon Lush uses the Gold Cross? brand.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

We bought some plaster cleats? and repurposed some wood to make batterns for the ceiling in our room at the new house. It is a 40s house and has not enough batterns to hold the plaster in place. It was OK, but someone has since stepped on it or something, so dh is putting in extra wood and screwing the plaster back up so it looks straighter and not like it is going to fall down. Then eventually we will be able to add insulation as it doesn't have any. I'm sure that will cut down the costs of running the split system in our room, and maybe it won't ice up as much outside on the unit.



As you can see we used sticky dots and I think a stud finder, and that the worst part of the ceiling in the corner has been fixed satisfactorily. We weren't sure. But it was worth keeping the centrepiece and saving money we thought. It is the third ceiling we have ever screwed up. We did the lounge in our first house, laundry in the second.

I looked on ebay for some jeans in the type of the ones that have worn out.

We designed a garden bed to save a rose. My husband had to urgently plant an Apricot Nectar rose that the dog thinks is lovely to chew! The other bed is mostly roses, and we think we have three more roses we can add to the apricot nectar in the coming weeks, plus other things that have outgrown where they are now.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

I a going through my baby's clothes collection, the edited one, the last one. I took 6 shopping bags or two kitchen bags of clothes to the op-shop last week. As you can see they are nothing to rave about. I think it is just hard to put the last place we lived behind me, it has been years, I think maybe letting some of that stuff go will help. A lot of pieces of clothing remind me of a day and something that happened at the farmhouse.


Today we got another 2 1/2 bags of clothes that our youngest daughter has grown out of or are the wrong shape sorted and delivered to the op-shop.

Learn a new Skill

Nothing that I can think of.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Bushfire Affected Areas ~ Growing Back Already

Having been encouraged by a post at Cockatoo Dreaming and having the time today (Saturday), here are some recent photos my husband took of the fire damaged areas of Flowerdale and Kinglake. I am surprised at how quickly the trees are shooting. My experience with regrowth were the fires in the park at Mt. Kosciusko. I recent post on my blog shows the remaining church in Kinglake West that my kids attended for Spotlight on Christmas one year.





This is another view of the hill published in the Women's Weekly, I think in April.

Thai Lamb

This recipe is from magazine clipping in one of my Marbig folders. When we made it recently my husband changed it, and we thought it was better, but I don't have the modifications with me. It is a very nice recipe in its original form too. I will add them later.

Thai Lamb with Chilli & Mint

Serves 4

1/4 cup (60ml) peanut or rice bran oil
400g lean lamb, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 birdseye chilli, seeded, finely sliced
1/2 cup torn mint leaves
steamed rice, to serve

Heat oil in a wok on high. Stir-fry lamb for 2 minutes, until almost brown. Add garlic, oyster and fish sauces, sugar and chilli and stir-fry for another 2 minutes, until lamb is cooked. Stir through mint and serve with steam rice.

From: Australian Table October 2006

Note: be careful not to add too much salt.

Michael Jackson

Please let me know any nice blog tributes that have been posted about the passing of Michael Jackson, aged 50. I have been watching his top 30 videos on Vh Channel, haven't found any that I can embed. Maybe I can look again later. For any that haven't heard, here is a news report.

Spring Reading Thing ~ It's Summer Already!

Wow, I am glad I checked it, happy summer those of your in the Northern Hemisphere!

Please visit Callapidder Days to check it out, first post here. My first post here.

The challenge goes from March 20, through June 20.

I have read the books in bold.

A Touch of Grace, Lauraine Snelling (reading)
Sophie's Dilema, Lauraine Snelling
The Parting, Beverly Lewis
The Forbidden, Beverly Lewis
October Song, Beverly Lewis
Anne of Green Gables
Believing The Dream, Lauraine Snelling
More Than A Dream, Lauraine Snelling
A Dream To Follow, Lauraine Snelling
The Novelist, Angela Hunt
The Pattern of Her Heart, Tracie Peterson
A Love Woven True, Tracie Peterson
The Jewel of Gresham Green, Lawana Blackwell
Remedy for Regret Susan Meissner
Sweet Violet, Catherine Palmer

This is what I wrote at the time:

15 novels/7 weeks. I don't think I will get them all finished, so that is good because I won't run out of reading material for our winter, which starts on the 1st of June.

I have also read:

Anne of Avonlea (reading)
Twenty Wishes,
These Boots Aren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson
Charlotte Leaves the Light On
Woman Next Door, Barbara Delinsky
Blue Heart Blessed, Susan Weissner
Remedy for Regret
Until We Reach Home, Lynn Austin
Secrets on the Wind, Stephanie Grace Whitson
Awakening Heart, Melody Carlson


I have included books I read during the whole time, but I actually joined on May 2. You will find the books I read before May 2nd on this page. So when I can I'll work out if I read 15 novels in 7 weeks.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
fog, fog, did I mention fog?

One of my simple pleasures:
reading

On my bedside table:
Still on Anne of Avonlea, diverted onto Twenty Wishes

On my TV:
Can you believe I watched Crook & Chase? I have found some interesting country songs, but my song is singing next to me and I have no hope of remembering

On the menu for tonight:
Salami Carbonara

On my To Do list:
I continue to declutter baby stuff, yes, it is hard to let go of the memories I think

New Recipe I tried last week:
Salami Carbonara

In the craft basket:
My daughter is tacking the zip into that dress she is making in needlework class

Looking forward to:
the school holidays next week

Homemaking Tip for this week:
Safeway toilet paper is I think the best value for money

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I enjoyed Mandy's photos lovely positive posts.

Favorite photo from last week:



Lesson learned the past few days:

On my Prayer List:

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Saturday...

Outside my window... it is dark and I am high up

I am thinking... I am trying not to think at all today

I am thankful for... being able to survive a cold day, I was so blessed I didn't have to go out of the house, the kids had a scheduled day off

From the kitchen... Thai Lamb, we love it, a simple recipe, must see if I have posted it before

I am wearing... brown pull up pants, beige skivvy, pink fleece windcheater

I am creating... I created the innards for a pinata, but that is old news now, yesterdays

I am going... maybe nowhere until next weekend, hopefully to the library

I am reading... I have just finished Sophie's Dilemma by Lauraine Snelling

I am hoping... my daughter is able to do her application for a scholarship for languages

I am hearing... air-conditioning, not mine though

Around the house... drying linen

One of my favorite things... the blue of the mountains in winter time

A few plans for the rest of the week: getting ready for the school holidays

Here is picture thought I am sharing... will add my picture when I get back onto my own computer, maybe I will have to learn about usb's

Kinglake West

Please visit the other daybooks at Peggy's. There are actually no other ones for this week as there is a break. However, I hope you enjoyed my post anyway. I'm sorry I didn't notice before I posted.

Trouble Reading Blog?

I am using a computer on IE at the moment, my blog closes. Months ago I was adding links and found it impossible on IE. So my browser of choice usually is Firefox. How about you?

Country Music Pic

That's My World Tuesday

Today I had been driving for quite some time and had resigned myself to being only halfway. After a climb, it was sunny and such a beautiful day. Can you see the eagle? We have been seeing kites prior to this.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
I put in the coldest day I have ever had I think, on Friday

One of my simple pleasures:
Sitting at school watching the little birds with primrose tummies and a matching tree!

On my bedside table:
Anne of Avonlea

On my TV:
Mary Queen of Shops, The Real Seachange

On the menu for tonight:
Sausage Casserole

On my To Do list:
More decluttering

New Recipe I tried last week:
I have looked but I don't think there was one, though I find that hard to believe

In the craft basket:
Just cleaning up after sewing fur, all the other stuff has been packed up

Looking forward to:
Perhaps seeing photos of Flowerdale and Kinglake, though I will possibly regret that later, it is mainly because I lived there and want to settle it in my mind

Homemaking Tip for this week:
I have had some ideas, but no notes with me that I know of. I did find when short of cleaning supplies something else may do if you read the labels. Lush House TV show is full of great ideas. Still want to buy Oil of Cloves

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I have read few, I did read Mandy's post Running On Empty, I imagine she would appreciate prayers as she needs to keep positive

Favorite photo from last week:



It was our puppy's first birthday on Friday.

Lesson learned the past few days:
This is something I should take note of when it happens

On my Prayer List:
not sure if there was anything

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
nothing that I remember

This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

Jerusalem Artichokes

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

My son sent me an email with the dates for O week at university next year for his brother. It is Feb 1, which is good being similar start date to his sisters starting their school year.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

I started working again on my magazine stack. I got a large pile outside in the paper recycling bin. I also was able to take a bag of things from the bathroom cupboard. If we do shift house and sell a house, I hope it helps. I have to keep going though. It was done on Friday, the magazine stack which was very cold, which I thought was fantastic, working on a day like that. In the north east, sometimes between the heat and cold there are not many productive days left. The maximum temperature for the day was 3oC with a minimum of -3C. At 4oC Canberra had its coldest day for 50 years. We had snow on the mountain out front I think on Tuesday.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

We got some more clothes sorted through. These were odd bods that weren't with the other clothes and cluttering up a room. They were in the "too hard basket" from awhile ago. They went to the op-shop. Perhaps there were six bags, not sure. Just food shopping sized.

Learn a new Skill

I tried mirin seasoning, my husband asked me to taste it. It is quite sweet. I needed sherry vinegar for this recipe, but really not sure if we used the right ingredient.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Country Music Pic

Alison Krauss - How's The World Treating You
Uploaded by Alison-Krauss - Watch more music videos, in HD!

I have been thinking of buying an Alison Krauss album. Any favorites?

Finished Costume

This is the Leafeon costume that our son wanted to make for last year's social, with no minutes and two leaves short he finished it for this year's social. My Mum made the suit, and it was a group effort, but our son made the shoes and gloves, and he is really good at sewing. He did the two toned ears and tail. I bought the material from Spotlight and the pattern, which was a penguin originally. Mum adapted it. She bought fabric stiffener and florists wire. My husband bought the brown and the light polar fleece on another trip to Spotlight, which is 1 1/2 hours away. So lots of thought and planning has gone on. We even sent measurements and clothes of our son to Mum so she could get the sizing right. It wasn't the largest size even though our son is about 6' tall.

The material for the eyes was from the op-shop and coloured with textas.

Happy Homemaker Monday

On my bedside table:
I am going to try These Boots Aren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson or go back to Anne of Avonlea

On my TV:
What Not To Wear, Ready Steady Cook, Backyard Blitz, Super Nanny USA

On the menu for tonight:
A Salmon Pasta dish because we had broccoli left over from the last vegetable order. I eventually was able to buy the evaporated milk and the salmon

On my To Do list:
To work out how much I want to spend with Filla Freezer, I figured frozen vegetables would be heaven, at least peas and beans, I have been using dehydrated peas

New Recipe I tried last week:
Spinach Korma & Rice I usually have two cans in the cupboard of white beans/butter/cannellini, but with three this is a nice meal, but we didn't have a lot of korma, but have since bought some, also forgot the spinach at the end of cooking which my husband does sometimes, the suggested side dishes would be great

In the craft basket:
My son's Leafeon costume, he is making ears with fabric stiffener and polar fleece, that I think can be stitched to the hem of his fur beanie, that goes over the mask that has extra material not trimmed off it

Looking forward to:
My husband's computer being fixed, his reports written, and our son's exams and his costume being finished

Homemaking Tip for this week:
If you love gardening consider old Our House (Australia) magazines for ideas

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I liked the look of this pasta

Favorite photo from last week:



Lesson learned the past few days:
it's is hard to get some perennials I have an interest in, they sell fast possibly.

On my Prayer List:
I have forgotten again.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Matthew 5:8 from the novel I was reading by Lauraine Snelling, More Than A Dream

This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Saturday...

Outside my window... it is a grey day, cold outside

I am thinking... enjoying the music by Karl on my blog post

I am thankful for... my blog readers & internet friends

From the kitchen... chocolatey drinks

I am wearing... my old good jeans, pink windcheater, it is Black Pepper or Red Pepper lol, and way too short. This year's colours are gorgeous but I left it too late

I am creating... doing banking, wondering why there is still money there

I am going... home for the night, maybe to the library on Thursday

I am reading... I have just finished Lauraine Snellings' More Than A Dream. I noticed they changed the cover picture, mine was confusing

I am hoping... we catch the mouse, wash the bedding and start again, we have filled more gaps between the walls in our solid brick house

I am hearing... Austar, Disney Channel

Around the house... some new dog and cat inexpensive mugs from IGA

One of my favorite things... a friend of my daughters who says "Goodmorning" early each day

A few plans for the rest of the week: getting ready for my husband's work trip

Here is picture thought I am sharing... this is a new flower, (with leaf stuck on it, sorry), I am wondering if it will continue to open or the frost will cut the whole flowering cycle short for this year. It is a salvia or rose leaf sage.



Please visit Peggy's blog to find more daybooks for this week. The new ones come on Monday, I am a little early.

Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

I bought some Jerusalem Artichokes and am looking forward to having them in the ground. They are called sunchokes?

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

I have an appointment to talk to a Filla Freezer consultant to help with meals and food shopping in the future. It is harder to buy cans of beans and some of my favourite smallgoods. My choices are getting more limited. Not sure if my health has improved by not buying processed foods, I don't get fish fingers or pies or anything at the moment except in the Christmas hampers.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

We put the dishwasher in the car and brought it to our new house. We borrowed it until we had the other one fixed, which it is now. It feels like an old friend is back. We love it.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

My daughter is taking part in a camp.

Learn a new Skill

Nothing that I can think of at the moment. I have been interested in my son's attempt to make eyes for a costume using chiffon. I have been hoping I remember what chiffon is like. I showed him and his Dad one of our daughter's old dresses, and they went to the op-shop and found a skirt with that material on it to cut up.

He made some fur shoes for his costume from a penguin pattern I got at Spotlight when we first started this project, maybe as long ago as last year. They just slip over your shoes.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Skywatch Friday

This is my view today of the world.

My Country Music Channel Picks

for this week.

Charlie Daniels   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

I'm not sure about the lyrics of the second one, but it is nice.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Tuesday...

Outside my window... it is dark

I am thinking... about the possible goat moths we saw floating around like snowflakes or little squares of floating bark in the light of the car headlights, one followed us inside the house too

I am thankful for... my son's girlfriend arriving home safely from Europe

From the kitchen... nothing here, we had "tea" before we came, which reminds me, this "tea"/dinner thing was made a fuss of in an American novel I borrowed recently and enjoyed, Melody Carlson's Awakening Heart

I am wearing... a jacket as the house was cold when I came here, the heaters are on, but it will take a long while to warm the house up

I am creating... a shopping list and calendar entries and notes

I am going... food shopping, home first

I am reading... Anne of Avonlea

I am hoping... my plans are sensible this pay cycle

I am hearing... the whir of my UPS

Around the house... my new pine cupboard with crochet edging, I got a surprise to see it standing there when we arrived tonight

One of my favorite things... my new doona cover now that I am used to it

A few plans for the rest of the week: packing my daughters things for the long weekend, we have Queen's Birthday weekend

Here is picture thought I am sharing... it is a few days old now



Please visit Peggy's blog for more daybooks.